SAT OwlThe ancient Maya developed a sophisticated calendar system made up of several interlocking cycles, such ______ a 260-day ritual calendar and a 365-day solar calendar. The two cycles realigned only once every 52 years.
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
as:
as,
as;
as
Show answer and explanation
Answer: D
"Such as" leads directly into the examples that follow, so no punctuation should come between "such as" and the list. A colon introduces a list only after a complete independent clause, and "such as" leaves the thought incomplete.
Choice A is tempting because a list follows, but a colon cannot come right after "such as," since the words before it don't form a complete clause.
Got it wrong? On SAT Owl, Owl looks at the answer you chose and explains the exact mistake, then gives you similar questions until it sticks. Get your predicted SAT score free.